Protecting your iDevice with the Otter Box: Defender Series

Last month I received a very nice gift from a guy named Brandon Seedorf from the mygearstore.com ; his wife is a Speech pathologist and they both wanted me to review some of the products they sell. First I would like to thank MyGearStore.com for their generosity with all the cases and stands that I can review on GeekSLP. On the box I received from MygearStore, there were several cases and stands which I will try to review on my blog. The guys from My Gear Store have offered all GeekSLP readers and viewers a discount of 15% on their products if you use the code “GeekSLP” when checking out on their store. They is really a good promo code guys. Despite this being a gift I received, this review is unbiased as I would not recommend products I do not use.

Let me start this post also by saying that I had never used a case consistently with my iPad. I never found anything that would justify the inconvenience of adding weight and size to my device that I usually carry with me on my purse. However, every time I give a presentation about the apps and iPads someone always asked for a recommendation on cases and stands. While I had a very good one for stands, I did not have anything to recommend for cases. Now I do: The Otter Box: Defender series. Yes, it is a very pricey investment, but worthy especially if a child with special needs is using the iPad or if you are using it for therapy or in your classroom. When making your order make sure to verify which one you want : iPad 1 or 2 case ( different sizes!).

This case will for sure protect your iPad; however it will also add some extra weight to it. It feel as if the weight of my iPad 1 has doubled (only speculations here guys), but now I know FOR SURE that my iPad is protected against my very clumsy husband.

Let’s now see what you get on the box when you buy your Otter box:

1. Protective Film: The otter box comes with a protective film for your screen. This film will prevent your screen from scratching, but also allow you more freedom when cleaning your device.

2. Two pieces of hard case: Slide these two pieces in and you will have one extra layer of protection for your iPad.

3. A silicone cover: After you put the hard cover on the iPad you will attach a silicone base cover that will help protect your iPad in case of bumps. I am amazed how well this thing work!

4. An extra layer/stand: One extra layer that goes on the back of the iPad transforms your case into a stand when you remove it from the back! This is so functional. It works best when the iPad is on landscape mode rather than portrait.

Am I forgetting anything else? I don’t think so, but it is possible.

The Otter Box is by far the best case I have ever put my hands on for the iPad, especially for children with special needs and SLPs.

When applying for grants and making your budget for iTherapy you should definitely consider including the price not only for a stand, but also for a case; and I seriously recommend the Otter Box for protection. Now if you are looking for convenience I would have to recommend something else. 😉 ( Not sure yet).

See photos I took today:

I was impressed by this case. I will be reviweing the other materials I received very soon.

Absolutely! Waiting for my ipad2 Otterbox defender (President Obama forgot to bring one to Ireland for me) I have a rubber tread sleeve on it with home made holes cut, and I put that in a leather book style cover. But I won’t let my kids hold or carry it until the Defender arrives. My ipad1 is in a Defender and we have all dropped it from waist height at least once. Brilliant covers. xx

I own a few Otterbox Defender cases. They are very durable and I’ve modified it to be mounted on my daughter’s wheelchair with a mounting arm. I noticed Target clearancing them out (iPad 1 only) for $22 recently! A bargain! The downside of this case is when you have to go looking for the stand an/or plate you removed for charging the iPad. So basically, there are 3 main pieces (not including the hard and rubberized outer shell) that may not be in the same place all the time…it can get frustrating tracking them down when you are in a hurry to leave the house. And it does make your iPad a lot heavier…Still a good case all around, and the stand is very stable when your kids are tapping at the screen.

Did you review the case for the ipad 1 or the ipad 2? The otterbox for the ipad 1 got rave reviews on amazon.com. The case for the ipad2 got very poor reviews. Since you are showing the pink case-it seems that you are reviewing the case for the ipad 2. Please look at amazon.com for reviews.

About GeekSLP

GeekSLP is a place where speech-language-pathologists can learn about the latest news related to iPad apps for speech therapy. GeekSLP is written by Barbara Fernandes, a speech-language-pathologist with over 50 apps published on the app store. Barbara has presented around the world on the topic and is one of the most respected experts in exploring apps for speech and language.